Arrest warrant still in effect for Dudus

Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

THE WARRANT for the arrest of West Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke is still in effect because his application for a stay of execution of the warrant was not heard yesterday.

Chief Justice Zaila McCalla heard preliminary arguments in chambers and ruled that the status quo remains, which means Coke can be arrested by the police and taken before the Resident Magistrate's Court to face extradition proceedings.

The application for a stay of the warrant of arrest, and his application for leave to go to the Judicial Review Court to challenge the minister of justice's decision to sign the authority to proceed with the extradition proceedings have been set for May 31.

Coke, 41, is wanted in the United States of America to face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and illegal trafficking of firearms.

When the applications came for hearing yesterday morning, the director of public prosecutions (DPP), who is a defendant, was not served with the court documents.

An adjournment was granted to give Coke's lawyers time to serve the DPP. The parties conceded that the attorney general should not be named as a defendant.

The DPP and the minister of justice are now the defendants in the motion. The adjournment was granted yesterday to give the defendants time to read the documents and prepare their legal arguments.

"Coke has subjected himself to the court, and whatever the ruling of the court, he will have to abide by it," attorney-at-law Don Foote said yesterday. Foote and attorney-at-law Paul Beswick are representing Coke.